Internal-combustion engine



mw 7; mm

J1. ALMN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 2l, 1925 Patented Aug. 7, 192d.

UNITED STATES JOHN OTTO ALMEN, OF SEATTLE, WASHING-TUN.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTUN ENGINE.

application mea nay ai,

'llhis invent-ion relates to improvements in internal combustion engines and more particularly to piston connections for use in engines of that type wherein a plurality of npistons are arranged circularly about and are adapted to reciprocate in lines parallel with a centrally located power shaft, and wherein power is transmitted to the shaft through the intermediacy of a rocker that is rotatably mounted on an inclined journal on the shaft and which has movable bearing connect-ions with the several pistons.

lit is the principal object of the invention to provide an improved form of connection whereby difficulties in lubrication that have heretofore been encountered are avoided and a better construction produced. Also, to provide connecting bearings, the parts of which are easily assembled, which permit all of the necessary rotative movements required in the construction, which are durable, citicient a-nd through which certain turning motion will be imparted to the pistons whereby better lubrication is provided and scoring is prevented.

@ther objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction and combination of parts embodied in the invention, whereby the motion of the rocker is conned to its natural path of travel.

lin accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, l have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred y forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a central, longitudinal section of an engine equipped with bearing connections constructed and assembled in accordance with present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of one of the engine pistons, showing its connection with an `arm of the rocker and illustrating the relative position of the parts when the piston is at one extreme of its r travel.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken on the line 3a-+3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a top view of the piston and Wrist pin carrier, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of apart of the rocker vand one of its connecting arms.

Figure t'is an enlarged, upper-end vView of a wrist pin carrier, illustrating, in dotted lines, the path of travel of the studs fixed in the rocker arm, and the formation ofthe 192%. Serial No. 640,383.

bearing surfaces on the carrier, against which the studs operate.

Referring more in detail to the drawing,

l designates the engine casing wherein there is provided a plurality of cylinders 2 arranged in alinement in opposite ends of the casing, and wherein pistons 3 are reciprocally contained. rlihe cylinders are disposed eircularly about and in parallel relation with a centrally located power shaft 4, this being supportedadjacent its ends within antifriction bearings 5 which retain it functionally in position.

Formed on the drive shaft between the inner ends of the alined cylinders is a journal 6, the axial line of which bisects the axial line of the shaft 4 at an acute angle, and mounted revolvably on this journal, upon anti-friction bearings 7 is a rocker 8 through which power is transmitted from the pistons to the shaft. The rocker is of ring-like construction and is provided with a plurality of radially extending arms 10 .each of which is pivotally connected at its end by means of a wrist pin 11 with a cylindrical wrist pin carrier lQYthat is slidably mounted within a bore 13 in the yoke joining alined pistons 23; each of the carriers being mounted to move rotatably and reciprocally within its bore which is formed centrally between the pistons and in a line that is perpendicular to the axis of their cylinders.

By reason of mounting the rocker on an inclined journal, reciprocation of the power driven pistons inproper sequence will impart a wabbling motion to the rocker which in turn imparts a rotating motion to the shaft 4, and it is due to this manner of connecting the pistons with the rocker that it is required there be no fixed relation between the bearing members and the piston or the rocker, and that the wrist pin carriers be permitted, as the pistons reciprocate, to move radially toward and from the shaft 4 and also that they be permitted to move rotatably within the pistons; both of these movements being provided for.

By reason of the manner in which the carriers are mounted it is apparent that, as the shaft rotates, the rocker 'will be given a certain wabbling motion whichnot only imparts rotative movement to the shaft but also, due to the character of the connection, imparts a certain rotative movement in opposite directions tothe pistons. rlhis movef its cylinder.

' of the wrist pin carriers 60 cause rotation of the different horse power than that for which 'the presentv'has been designed, can beoverment is illustrated in Figure 4 by means of the dotted line as shown at 15, which is the course that would be inscribed by a point on a piston as it moves reciprocally within This movementl is very much desired since it provides better and more even lubrication.

Also, due to the arcuate movement of the rocker arms andthe wabbling motion of the rocker as the shaft rotates, it is apparent that this igure8 motion will be imparted to each as they move reciprocally within the piston bores. This movement likewise facilitates lubrication and prevents, to a certain extent, wear on the parts.

In order that the motion of the rocker will be confined to its natural path of travel and to prevent its rotation in a .direction opl posite to the direction of 'the crank shaft,

also for' the purpose of 'eliminating noise that is incidental to operation of the engine, Ihave iixed bearing studs on the outer ends of each of the rocker arms l0, as is best illustratedv in Figures 3 and 5. These studs are adapted'to slidably engage with bearing. guidesurfaces 21 and 22 formed in spaced relation in the up er end portions of the wrist pincarriers. hese studs, due to IH'L the arcuate and rocking motion of the rocker in operation, follow courses of the figure 8 l v form, as shown in the dotted lines at 26 in Figure 6. Lateral thrust exerted against the pistons by the rocker'arms is then received 3s by ,the bearing surfaces 21 and 22 which are so shaped as to conform to thel resulting movement of the studs which engage them durin reciprocation of the pistons. In this Way t e motion of the rocker is confined to .14o a path any point on the rocker would follow naturally, provided there are no external forces acting upon the rocker. such as torque of the engine, friction or gas pressure.

While I have shown each rocker arm 4.5 equipped with two bearing studs, this is not absolutely essential since the same result could be had b the use of a single stud in each arm and by bringing the guide bearing surfaces closer together. It is also ap- -i 5o' parent that the same result can be had by ocating the studs at op -rocker arms beneath the earlng connection, as is illustrated in dotted line' at 26 in Figure 5, and by inverting the .carrier 12 so osite sides of the that the guide bearing surfaces will lie inl .the samerelation to these studs as they do in the illustrated construction.

It has been found also that unbalanced forces that would tend to, or which will wabbler in engines of .the said guide surfaces of the arm. This angular relation can be made such that it will throw the parts in such balance when in operation that those Aforces which otherwise would tend to cause rotation of the wabbler will be neutralized. In this construction the' axial line of pins 11 would .be inclined in the direction of the dotted line through the bearing shown in Figure 5. \k

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l' In an engine of the class described, a power shaft having an inclined journal, a rocker rotatable in the journal having a radially extended rocker arm and a piston mounted to reciprocate parallel with the shaft and having a yoke with a transverse bore therein of a cylindrical Wrist pin carrier slidably and rotatably contained in said bore and provided Within opposite faces with bearing surfaces, a wrist pin fixed in said carrier and pivotally connecting the same with the rocker arm, and studs fixed in said arm for slidable engagement with said bearing surfaces.

2. In an engine of the class described, a

shaft having an inclined journal, a piston mounted to reciprocate parallel withathe shaft and having a yoke provided with. a transverse bore, a rocker rotatable on the journal and having an arm extended therefrom, a bearing fitted slidably and rotatably in the piston and pivotally attached to the rocker arm and having guide surfaces therein and means onthe arm adapted to engage whereby the movement of the rocker is confined to and guided in its natural path.

an engine of the class described, a power shaft having an inclined journal, a rocker rotatable on the journal having a radially extending arm, a stud fixed at the endof said arm, a pair of alined pistons with ,a connecting reciprocally parallel with the shaft, said yokehaving a transverse bore therein, a wrist p in carrier mounted for rotary and slidable movement within the bore, and a wrist pin fixed in said/ carrier and ivotally connecting the same with the rocker-arm, said carrier having bearing surfaces formed yoke mounted to move lili ther'ein to be engaged by the said stud dur- January, 1923.

' JOHN OTTO ALL/LEN'. 

